Shoe-lace fastener.



A. F. URQUHART.

SHOE LACE FASTENER.

APPLICATION .HLED JULY 26.1915.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

ALEXANDER F. URQUHART, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

SHOE-LACE FASTENER.

Application filed July 25, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it knownthat I ALEXANDER F. URQU- 11am, a citizen of the United States. resid ing at Sacramento. in the county of Sacramento and State of California. have in vented certain new anr L useful Improvements in Shoe-Lace Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full. clear, and exact description of the invention. such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improved fasteners and more particularly to shoe lace fasteners for securely holding the ends of the strin or lace in position without requir ing the tying of knots.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient device which can be cheaply manufactured and which when ap plied to the upper of a shoe or boot will securely hold the shoe lace ends so that they will not depend and appear unsightly or interfere with walking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe lace fastener which when applied to the shoe or boot will occupy very little space, and in which only a portion thereof will be visible to the observer.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts to be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a portion of a lace shoe with this improved fastener applied; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the fastener applied; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the fastener detached; Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 55 of Fig.4.

In the embodiment illustrated a shoe upper 1 is shown to the rear of which, onehalf an inch more or less from the strap at the back of the shoe on the inner side, is secured the improved fastener constituting this invention. This shoe upper 1 consists of the usual outer leather 2 and inner lining 3 which are stitched or otherwise secured together along their top edges and between which the fastener to be described is designed to be mounted. This fastener comprises a single piece of stamped metal here shown in the form of a triangular or shield-f shaped body member 5 having a groove or Specification of Letters Patent.

l 'atented ov. "2, 18 113..

SeriaI No. 41,982.

channel 6 extending longitudinally through out the length thereof from its vertex toward the base, said groove being angular in cross section. The corners 7 of this body member or plate 5 are shown apertured as at 8 to provide means for attaching the fastener to the shoe. A tongue 10 extends from the straight edge of the base 9 of the body 5 forming a continuation of the bottom of the groove 6, and this tongue is bent or folded inwardly to form a substantially cir cular loop 10 and preferably offset laterally inward adjacent its point of connection with the body 5 as is shown at. 11. and in connection with the body 5 forms a substantially U-shaped structure of spring metal. the loop 10 at the base of the tongue affording a rcsilient connection between the side members of said U-shaped structure. said tongue forming one of said side members. This tongue 10 is shown of a width corresponding substantially to the width of the groove 6 and is rectilinear throughout the greater portion of its length, being parallel with the bottom of said groove the free end of said tongue being outturned to facilitate the passage thereunder of the lacing ends to be secured. This tongue 10 normally lies in a plane parallel with the bottom of the groove 6 with the edges of the tongue normally lying in the plane of the straight body por-- tion adjacent the edges of the groove to provide rehable clamping means between the edges of the groove and those of the tongue and to afford space between-the tongue 10 and the body 5 to receive the laces to be clamped.

In the application of this improved fastoner. the seam which connects the upper ners of the plate and the exact spots in which these apertures are located may be eadily determined by inserting a punch against the leather over the fastener on the hoe.

After this fastener has been applied as above described and it is desired to secure the ends of the shoe lacing, a knot is preferably tied in the two laces and these laces are then placed flat one on top of the other and drawn upward into the fastener under the tongue thereof, whereby they will be reliably clamped between the edges of the tongue and the edges of the groove, the tongue and groove arrangement affording ample gripping power necessary to hold the laces which are secured by the gripping action at each side of the tongue, and the friction of the leather between which and the tongue the laces are inserted assists in retaining said laces reliably against slipping such as might occur if two opposed metal clamping faces were employed.

The laces used should extend about an inch or less beyond the fastener when applied, and when proper length laces are used and the foregoing instructions followed, the shoe will remain fastened effectively and no unsightly strings will be shown dangling down. While it is preferable to tie knots in the laces before securing the ends thereof, it is not necessary to do so as the ends of the laces may be secured by this fastener without tying any knots.

I claim as my invention:

A lace fastener for wearing apparel comprising a piece of heavy spring metal bent tom of said channel, and having a substantially circular loop at its base beyond the end of the body with which it is connected, said tongue being offset laterally inward opposite its point of connection with the body, and being rectilinear from said offset portion throughout the greater portion of its length andnormally lying in a plane parallel with the bottom of the channel in the body with the edges of the tongue normally lying in the plane of the straight body portion adjacent the edges of the channel, to pro vide reliable clamping means between the edges of the channel and those of the tongue, and afiording space between the tongue and body to receive the article to be clamped.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER F. URQUHART.

Witnesses B. F. WOERNER, E. F. LEAVITT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

